Which area is referred to as 'landside' in an airport environment?

In the context of an airport environment, 'landside' refers to areas accessible to the general public, primarily those areas where passengers and visitors can interact before or after security screening. The key areas that fall under this definition include passenger drop-off and pick-up areas, which serve as the primary access points for travelers arriving or departing from the airport.

These landside areas are designed to facilitate a smooth flow of passengers, allowing them to easily transition in and out of the airport without security restrictions. The other options listed represent areas that are either part of the secure side of the airport (where access is limited to ticketed passengers after going through security screening) or areas related to the airport’s operational infrastructure (like runways and taxiways), which do not cater to passenger accessibility in the same way. Thus, the area known as 'landside,' which includes drop-off and pick-up, fundamentally supports the airport's role in managing passenger flow before they enter the secured areas of the airport.